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The "They're really not aliens" interpretation

posted 5 years ago by Wuchak (8242)
61 replies | jump to latest

It's possible that the aliens aren't really extraterrestrials -- as we conventionally understand 'em, at least -- but rather demons from the underworld (the dark spiritual dimension) invading the physical realm to take as many victims as they can. The idea that they are aliens is just a mass deception and, remember, the devil is the "father of lies."

There are many clues:

- The spaceships are never seen, just lights in the sky (the devil's also called "the prince of the power of the air" in the bible).
- The "aliens" look decidedly demonic and have sorta cloven hoofs.
- The primitive method of repelling the aliens is discovered in three cities in the Middle East and is holy water, which is ordinarily used by Catholic & Episcopal exorcists against demonic manifestations (Shyamalan, by the way, attended Catholic & Episcopal schools).
- The three cities in the Middle East could represent Father/Son/Holy Spirit.
- The daughter, Bo, was said to be a "gift from God" who was sensitive to impure water. People's mouths dropped when she was born as she was spoken of as an angel. Her name in Old Norse means "to live" and she was the messenger from God (an angel) able to discern the weapon of life needed to defeat the demonic menace.
- The way the "holy water" affects the "aliens" is reminiscent of the way a cross/crucifix affects vampires or a demon-possessed person in movies.
- The dog and bird were clearly possessed.
- The crop circles are occultic symbols and possible portals from the underworld.
- The crop circle in the Hess cornfield resembles a pitchfork.
- When the disillusioned minister cries out to God that he hates him he actually displays his faith; after all, he has to believe in God to have a conversation with him, voicing his ire. Suddenly his son recovers from the asthma attack and the news announcer declares that the "aliens" are retreating. You see, FAITH sends the enemy fleeing with their tails between their legs.

Also, we see evidence that the demons are personal in nature. The "alien" locked in the vet's pantry was linked to the guilt and disillusionment that haunted the vet after the death of the minister's wife.

Keep in mind that when the film debuted, Shyamalan was known as the king of the plot twist, yet the revelation that the aliens’ weakness is water wasn’t exactly a mind-blowing turn seeing as how the earth is 71% water and technologically advanced extraterrestrials who can travel the galaxy would know this. Moreover, the aliens curiously have no physical weapons and are easily trapped by a pantry door. It stands to reason that Shyamalan hid the twist in the movie. That twist is that the aliens are really demonic in nature.

I'm not saying you can't view the movie as a literal extraterrestrial invasion flick, but rather that the underlying demonic reading is a legitimate way of viewing the material because it all ties together and links to the story arc of the disillusioned ex-minister finding redemption. Also, I'm not suggesting that you have to believe in God to appreciate this movie, which is obviously not the case. I don't believe in androids traveling back in time, but that doesn't prevent me from appreciating the "Terminator" flicks.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8380) 3 years ago

I first learned about the demon theory six years ago and then rewatched the film with it in mind. It's a very interesting idea that I think has strengths and weaknesses.

You laid out most of the strengths. I'll add one that I think you've missed and have been struggling with in your earlier responses: Bo's water is not just water. It's not even a "type" for holy water. It is actual holy water, blessed by her--an angelic being--every time she drank from the glass. Remember that her thing is to take a few sips from each glass and then go get another. By the climax of the movie you have lots of glasses laying around the house which her lips and saliva--her essence, if you will--have touched. A part of her is in that water.

We see other indications that Bo is special as well:

When Morgan has to kill the dog early in the film he says he killed the dog because Morgan attacks Bo. If the dog is possessed, and Bo is angelic, it makes sense that the dog would target her.

Furthermore, early in the movie Bo goes to her dad and says, "There's a monster in my room. Can I have a glass of water?" It is as if, on some level, she already can perceive the evil before anyone else can and also knows that she can weaponize the water against it.

So you can build a strong argument that Bo is objectively special, in a spiritual way, and that this special spiritual quality is what gives her the power to turn regular water into holy water (i.e. the "primitive method" discovered in the three Middle Eastern cities).

That said, I think there are some weaknesses to the demon theory. For instance:

1. If they are spiritual beings, how could they pick up their communication on a baby monitor?

2. The aliens are clearly corporeal. They have physical bodies, can be held back by doors, and have a noxious gas weapon which is scientific and not spiritual in nature.

3. At one point in the film Merrill realizes that the crop circles are for navigational purposes. Why do demons need GPS?

[–] Wuchak (8242) 3 years ago

Thanks for the insights, Prime.

My understanding of the movie is this: On the surface it's about an alien invasion while subtextually it’s about a demonic assault. I view it in the latter way whereas my wife sees it in the former. Whatever way the viewer takes it, the movie's most profoundly about one man’s struggle with disillusionment and faith.

Concerning what you say are three weaknesses of the demonic-attack interpretation:

1. God's a spiritual being (John 4:24) and yet in the bible God's voice manifested in the natural realm and was discerned by physical beings, e.g. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17) and the "still small voice" Elijah heard on the mountain (1 Kings 19:11-13).

2. Yes, it's clear that the demons were able to invade the Earth in corporeal form, which is what some unclean spirits did back in Genesis 6:1-4 and were severely punished for it to deter such rebellion in the future (Jude 1:6 & 2 Peter 2:4.). (Skim through some of my responses to Nate Adams on the first page of this thread where I offer details on this). Apparently, the denizens of the Underworld are back to their old tricks in the movie, albeit on a much larger scale.

3. If I remember rightly, he was speculating on the purpose of the crop circles but, assuming he's correct, why wouldn't demonic beings in corporeal form use strategic navigational points in their invasion like the extraterrestrials?

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 2 years ago

3. Also, could a magic rune not be used as some navigational instrument? What's wrong with the crop circles being symbols used to guide to gates between Hell and Earth? Semantics. The demon interpretation makes this movie great.

[–] Wuchak (8242) 2 years ago

The demon interpretation makes this movie great.

I agree. Too much points to it. Otherwise it's just an alien invasion flick with really stupid extraterrestrials who evidently didn't realize the Earth is two-thirds water -- their Kryptonite -- even though they have the intelligence & technology to cross the galaxy.

[–] Puvwall (1254) 2 years ago

How interesting

[–] naDaht (1087) a year ago

If all one has is a hammer...